Battle of the Apprentices
by Barredowl555
Summary: Darth Vader has to face his former Sith predecessors Darth Maul and Count Dooku in combat as training for Emperor Palpatine. Will Vader succeed, or will there be a new apprentice at Sidious' side? Please review!


The silence was broken in the Emperor's Chamber as Darth Vader walked in, breathing noisily as usual.

'You summoned me, Master?'

'Yes, Vader, I have a…errand for you to perform. I am warning you, this is no trivial task. For the final part of your training, I shall bring back two Sith Lords from the past. You will engage in combat with them, and in their defeat I will know you to be a true Sith.'

'Yes, Master. When shall I meet them?'

'Right, here, my apprentice, and right now.'

Darth Vader whirled around, his cloak swishing across the floor. The Royal Guard stepped aside to reveal a tall, dark figure. Vader's cybernetic hands reached towards his lightsaber…

Count Dooku stepped forwards into the light, his rigid, gaunt face holding mysterious eyes. His eyes bored in Vader, sucking in every detail of the Sith apprentice.

'Well, well, Anakin Skywalker…I have longed to get my revenge on you, Skywalker, and I shall,' Dooku murmured. Palpatine laughed harshly. 'Ah, Darth Tyranus, it is long since I set my eyes on you.'

Dooku swiftly pulled out his lightsaber, activating the curved hilt, his slim body facing Vader.

'I live only to serve you, my Lord,' growled the Dark Jedi. Palpatine sighed softly. 'Yes, Tyranus, however there is one more Sith we should meet, one who is well-trained in the Dark Side. I remember him fondly, a dark warrior who was as loyal to me as you two are. I trained him harder than I trained anyone else, but it was unfortunate that he was vanquished.'

Dooku shuffled aside as another Sith entered the room. His glistening head with a deadly crown of horns held large, crimson, cruel eyes which stared at Darth Sidious hungrily.

Darth Maul leapt into view, snarling, 'There is no time to waste. Let us begin!'

Maul used the Force to pull out his sabrestaff, spinning it in mid-air before activating one blade. Dooku clashed into the Zabrak, his curved lightsaber whirring around his opponents weapon, disarming the Sith warrior easily. Maul flung himself on the floor, rolling out of the way as Dooku's lightsaber slashed at him. Vader was waiting for this; Tyranus all alone. The Sith Lord gripped Dooku in a Force-choke, throttling the Count before casting him away like an empty tin can.

However, Darth Maul flew at Vader, kicking him hard in his mask. As the apprentice fell, Maul slashed at his leg with both blades of his sabrestaff. Grunting in pain, Vader thrashed about on the floor, unable to get up without the Force. Maul knew he had only seconds before Vader came at him, so the Zabrak raised his sabrestaff high and brought the blades whooshing down at his enemy. Vader blasted Maul away with the Force just in time. Maul crashed down hard; his hood slipping off.

Dooku had recovered and Force-jumped on top of Vader, knocking the Sith Lord down again. Force-lightning erupted from his hands and engulfed Vader, sparks of electricity ravaging the fallen Sith's cybernetic body. As smoke rose from a motionless Vader, Dooku turned and faced Maul, who had leapt back on his feet and held his sabrestaff (both blades activated) in front of him.

Dooku smiled deviously. 'Surely you are not naïve enough to think that you, a mere Sith assassin, could stand a chance against me? My fighting style outmatches you; _Makashi _is effectively one of the greatest.' Maul whirled his sabrestaff, growling fiercely. The two Sith came at one another in a flurry of red, Maul twisting in mid-air and emitting a Force scream which stunned Dooku. The Zabrak pummelled him powerfully before sending a kick to his face which consequently brought Dooku down. He, however, unleashed a torrent of Sith lightning at Maul, but the Zabrak resisted, his skills in Teräs Käsi coming into effect. Maul moved with such speed that Dooku did not see him coming until too late. The Sith's horns rammed into Dooku's side, flipping him over and causing him to lie on the ground groaning in pain.

Maul allowed Tyranus to get up before spinning his sabrestaff so that it became a red blur. Dooku activated his lightsaber and crashed into Maul, hissing sharply, 'Lord Sidious always preferred me over you…he chose me as his new, more powerful apprentice…besides, you weren't even a true Sith apprentice…just an assassin! Argh!' Maul pushed Dooku back with the Force before leaping over his head and striking backwards with the right-hand blade. Dooku blocked and used the Force to summon one of the Royal Guard's force pikes. He threw the force pike at his adversary, who managed to dodge. Dooku then summoned some heavy blaster pistols and flung them at Maul. The pistols came into contact with the Zabrak's temple, and Maul fell down, unconscious.

To his surprise, the red-and-black tattooed body rolled out of the way before he could strike the death blow. Darth Vader smashed into Dooku, still smoking, his heavily armoured body leaning into his lightsaber, pushing Dooku back.

'I have killed you once, Count, and I am only to ready to do it again!' Vader bellowed as he thrust his lightsaber forward. Dooku pushed it beneath him, but Vader twisted his arms brought the lightsaber swishing upwards with a flick of his wrists. The Count cried out in pain as he fell to his knees, both hands severed (once again!) by Vader's lightsaber. The Sith apprentice slashed Dooku's chest viciously, before turning to face Maul.

Maul had de-activated one blade of his sabrestaff. He rushed at Vader, the crimson lightsaber flashing in his grip. Palpatine's current apprentice had a very strong defence, which Maul couldn't penetrate, however his speed and agility made up for that. Vader couldn't keep up with Maul, his amour and body-weight slowing him down. The fearsome Zabrak jumped over Vader's head, landing in front of him, his opponent's mask facing the back of his head. Slamming his black and red back into Vader, Darth Maul activated his second blade, the lightsaber going straight through his opponent's body. With a shocked rasp, Vader staggered back, only to have Maul furiously slice the cyborg with his sabrestaff. Vader fell, mortally wounded, his mask destroyed.

Yet, Count Dooku was not finished. With his dying breath, the Sith Lord concentrated on his curved lightsaber hilt lying on the floor. The hilt flew upwards, the blood red blade activated. Maul was too busy gloating to his victory over Vader to see the lightsaber flying towards him, running the still maliciously smiling Zabrak through. Maul was dead before he hit the ground, and Dooku perished looking at his severed body with triumph.

Darth Vader crawled forwards, looking at Sidious with tired eyes. 'Forgive me…my Lord…I have failed…your given assignme…' Thus, the Sith warrior passed away in front of his master, who was about to go looking for a new apprentice soon.


End file.
